BOOK II PART II
sion of love or hatred depends upon the same
principle. A strong impression, when commu-
nicated, gives a double tendency of the pas-
sions; which is related to benevolence and love
by a similarity of direction; however painful
the first impression might have been. A weak
impression, that is painful, is related to anger
and hatred by the resemblance of sensations.
Benevolence, therefore, arises from a great de-
gree of misery, or any degree strongly sym-
pathized with: Hatred or contempt from a
small degree, or one weakly sympathized with;
which is the principle I intended to prove and
explain.
Nor have we only our reason to trust to for
this principle, but also experience. A certain
degree of poverty produces contempt; but a
degree beyond causes compassion and good-